David Hobbs. Page 20

David J B Hobbs.  PJX 165299  Royal Navy  POW 7735.

Captured 12th June 1940. St Valery-en-Caux --- Veules-les-Roses
 BAB21 1942-1945

The two photographs below were taken at BAB21.  The photo on the left is David. 

 The right hand photograph shows three men.    David  is on the right. Standing in the middle is Jack Denyer 6091596 Queens Rifles  POW 3480

 

The above photograph is the Dutch Schuyt  [Skoot]  Hebe 11.   During 27th and 28th May 1940 she took part in Operation Dynamo at Dunkirk  rescuing 337 men from the beaches.  She was then laid up in Poole Harbour to resupply and re crewed including David Hobbs for Operation Cycle, the attempt to rescue  40,000 plus troops At St Valery-en-Caux, the French 9th Corps and the British 51st Highland Division had become cut off.  

The Highland Division numbering around 10,000 men formed in a hollow square around St Valery arrangements being made to evacuate them after dark 11/12th June.

After several runs to the beach and transferring men from the beaches out to the waiting ships  Hebe 11 was grounded on an ebbing tide just off Veules-les-Roses.  Another Schuyt the 'Twente' took three direct hits and sank, the guns then fired on Hebe 11 which took one direct hit and was abandoned by the crew.  Hebe 11 did not have a radio and the only armament was a pistol carried by Sub Lt Prior.  The crew were captured.

2,137 British troops were rescued along with 1,184 French troops.   40,000 troops remained including 8,000 men of the Highland Division,  all were taken prisoner.

The above photograph from the book 'Dunkirk. Fight To The Last Man'  by Hugh Sebag-Montefiore

was taken at Veules-les-Roses and asks if the ship at the top of the photograph could be Hebe 11.  I showed this photo to David Hobbs who confirmed it was indeed Hebe 11.